Some women have been told since girlhood that forgiveness is the only proof of faith.
That good women forget.
That holy women move on.
That spiritual women never hold anger in their hands.
But those messages weren’t from God.
They were from people who feared the power of women who remember.
🌾 1️⃣ The Weight of the Word “Forgive”
When harm runs deep, the command to forgive can feel like being asked to set fire to your own story.
You don’t fail faith by not being ready —
you honor truth by admitting that some wounds still need tending.
Forgiveness that’s forced is performance, not peace.
God doesn’t need your speed. God desires your wholeness.
🕊️ 2️⃣ The Letter She Never Sent
She used to sit up at night writing letters she never mailed.
To the ones who hurt her. To the church that stayed silent. To the God she didn’t understand anymore.
She thought she was supposed to forgive them to be free.
But over time she realized: it wasn’t forgiveness she needed first — it was safety.
Once she finally had that, her heart began to unclench on its own.
Not because anyone told her to — but because she was finally safe enough to heal.
✨ 3️⃣ Forgiveness and Faith Are Not the Same Thing
Faith asks you to tell the truth.
Faith asks you to care for what God created — including yourself.
Faith asks you to walk toward peace, not to pretend it’s already arrived.
Healing comes in stages.
Sometimes forgiveness comes last.
And sometimes, God handles that part for you.
📖 Scripture for Reflection
“He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.”
— Psalm 147:3
Notice: It doesn’t say He commands them to forgive first.
Healing comes before release.
Restoration before reconciliation.
Peace before pardon.
🌿 Affirmation
I am not behind in my faith.
I am honoring what is real.
God is patient with me.
I am allowed to heal at the pace of truth, not pressure.
